Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Automation Robotics

The main purpose of automation robotics is to optimize the work
that has to be done to effectively complete the tasks required to
manufacture products. Automation robotics has special purposes, to
minimize the amount of time, effort, and energy that is required to
produce a product. It is also needed to reduce the amount of waste of
raw materials and rework of products that are not completed to
specification. Tasks of automation robotics also include the
maximization of quality in products that are finished and the safety
that is needed in producing them. The definition of automation robotics
is not as important as is the understanding of how to apply it to
operate in a manufacturing environment for the purpose of making
products in the most cost effective and safe way as possible. An
engineer who is responsible for creating an automation scenario for a
manufacturing company will draw from his knowledge of how robotics are
used to accomplish tasks and his ability to apply robotics in an
economical way to build an automation solution.

Automation robotics can have the following characteristics:

- an arm that can be configured in different ways
- a number of degrees of freedom which allows movement in multiple directions
- load-bearing capability
- defined work area
- some control system
- a source of power
- repeatability of tasks performed
- accuracy of tasks performed
- reliability in tasks that are performed

Least complex of the
robots in industrial applications are those that do lifting and
placing. These devices are the ones that do loading and unloading, pick
and place, material movements, and palletizing. The ability to move
heavier loads and work in unseemly surroundings are characteristics of
these machines. Sometimes these devices replace unskilled labor and
usually require low maintenance.

The next level of complexity in
robots is occupied by the industrial application devices. These do tasks
like spray painting, spot and arc welding, tasks that are normally done
by skilled labor. A lot of these tasks are harmful to humans because of
dangerous exposures that are generated. This type of device requires
the ability of servo or spherical control in order to do their assigned
tasks. These robots can use training to get their work defined before
they are put to the automation tasks. In some cases sensors are used to
help give them consistency in their work. Robotics of this type are very
good at cutting operating costs and improving the quality of products
that come off the production line.

Looking at the top level of
complexity in robotics you can see the devices that perform tasks like
assembly of products. Consistency and repeatability are high virtues of
these devices. Tooling that is at the end of the arm of this devices has
the ability to be very precise in placement of pieces in their proper
places. These can make minor adjustment in their work to meet the needs
of putting products together correctly.

Since it is the job of
robotics to optimize the work in the production environment, it is
important to define what tasks can best be done by robotics and what
task should be best left to human accomplishment. If two tasks in
manufacturing are very similar in characteristic, it is much easier to
let a robotic move into the new operation, if it similar to an operation
that the robotics has performed earlier. The less similar two jobs are
the more likely that a human could make an easier transition to the new
task. Human abilities accumulate over a lifetime, while the robotic has
to start a new task from zero experience and will require extensive
training to accomplish it. Robotics do not have any inherent
characteristics like humans do. Some humans will better at some tasks
rather than other tasks, while different robotics begin a given task
from the same starting point that has zero knowledge or ability.

In
deciding whether a human or a robot should do a certain manufacturing
task there are certain possibilities that might help to guide you to a
decision. If the task is too complicated for a robot to perform within
economic reason, then the task should be left to a human to do. A robot
would win the chance to perform a task if the job was too dangerous for a
human to do, or space or other special considerations come into play.
If a robot can generate lower cost, better quality, better consistency,
or other positives then the robot would win the job.

There are
definite decisions that you must make when you are deciding to put a
robotic to work in the place of a human. Even the possibility of labor
shortage would be a reason for putting a robotic to work.

John Mitchell, the author of this article, is President of
Provision, Inc, an online publisher of information about the uses of
automation in manufacturing. The company website, http://www.provinc.net, allows companies to submit requests for quotation to automation specialists.